The Afterparty
by PurpleDragonFlower
Summary: Rose wakes up on January 1 in a bed with three other people, a horrible hangover and no idea of how she got there. What really happened last night? Why won't her friends tell her anything?


Rose's head was pounding. A slow, rhythmic throbbing. Every beat reminding her of the sense of nausea at the back of her throat. She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes. Where was she? She felt herself lying on a soft surface, most possibly a bed. Although she was pretty sure that it wasn't her own bed. There was the distinct smell of boy - and not in a good way - contributing to her nausea. She couldn't tell what it was really, but it was a smell she would never associate with a girl, and it reminded her of Hugo's room at home.

Rose felt around with her left hand, fearing what she might find. Merlin's pants! What was that? She realised too late what is was, as a very familiar, hoarse voice said:

"Who's that?"

Rose snatched her hand away at once. Scorpius's pants! In the same movement she managed to slap something - someone - else.

"Ouch", said a voice that she could not place at once, another boy. How many were there?

Four, it turned out, counting Rose as well. She forced herself to open her eyes and sitting up. Sending a stab of pain through her head. She put her hand over her forehead.

Scorpius Malfoy, Amy Hannigan, James Potter and herself, tangled in sheets. No way, Rose thought, please no. Tell me I did not go to bed with my cousin. What did they do last night? Rose felt a bit of panic arise. She couldn't remember!

She remembered the dinner in the Great Hall - but the thought nearly made her sick - she remembered sneaking off into the dungeons with a group of people, some of whom she didn't even know the name of. Someone had brought drinks - she hadn't actually known that it was alcohol until she started feeling the buzz. Then she had a vague memory of fireworks - because it had been new year's eve - right, she forgot. But that was it. The rest of the night was just a big black blank.

Rose looked around for a nearby bathroom. If the hangover wouldn't do it, the fear of what she might have done was going to make her throw up in a near future. She noticed that the hangings around the bed were green. She must be in a Slytherin dorm. Where did they have the bathrooms? She could only spot one door, which must surely lead to the common room.

She looked back at the people in the bed. At least no one was completely naked. That would have been bad. Really bad. Scorpius was trouserless, James was shirtless and Amy's dress had slid up and got stuck around her waist. Nice panties. But it wasn't worse than that. Nothing could have happened, right? Rose suddenly blinked and looked down on herself. Oh thank Merlin, she was still in her clothes, skirt, leggings and everything. That downed the fear a little bit.

Rose nearly got a heart attack when someone opened the door. At first all she saw was a floating tray, loaded with glasses that were filled with some green, smelly muck. Rose clamped her hand over her mouth. Someone in the bed moaned: "Take that away!"

After the tray came Lily Potter.

"Good morning!" she said, smiling widely. She looked perfectly well, no way she was partying last night. Surely she was too young anyway. In Rose's ming Lily had stopped ageing after the age of eleven, so that was always how she saw her. But then Lily said, just as happily: "Crazy night, hu? I've never been that drunk before."

Rose dared to lift her hand an inch from her mouth to choke:

"What?"

"Here", said Lily and handed her one of the stinking glasses. "Drink this."

Rose shook her head.

"No way."

"It'll help", Lily promised.

Rose lifted the glass hesitantly towards her mouth, not taking her eyes off Lily. Was this a trick?

The whole bed shook when Scorpius suddenly jumped up.

"Shit!" he squeaked as he dashed across the room. He threw himself against what looked like just a bit of stone wall, but it swung open like a door. It closed behind him, but they could still hear the muffled sound of retching and a splash that made Rose's stomach turn.

How much worse could it get? With that thought she poured down the gross drink in her mouth. It tasted exactly as it smelled, but to Rose's surprise it instantly made a difference. She actually felt better. Much better.

Amy was sitting up now too.

"Give me some of that", she groaned. She poked James with her foot. "Hey!" she said, "Hey, sleepy boy!"

"What?" James muttered.

"Rise and shine", Lily said in a singsong voice.

James rolled over onto his belly and muttered something into the mattress.

Scorpius came back through the invisible bathroom door.

"Mirnin' Lils", he said, his voice raspy. He took a glass from her tray and drank it up without asking. "Some nice dance moves you've got down your sleeve", he said and raised his empty glass towards her. "Especially around the pole."

Rose stared at Lily, who blushed. What in the-? What dance moves? What pole?

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"You were so drunk!" laughed Lily. And with that she turned and left, her shoulders still shaking of laughter. Rose looked at Scorpius. He blinked with one eye and gave her a look that did not bode well.

She got on her feet.

"Is this your bed?" she asked. Who else's would it be. Scorpius nodded. "What did we do?"

Now it was Amy's turn to laugh.

"You don't remember?" she asked. Rose shook her head.

Amy had crawled over to James's side of the bed. She ran her fingers through his hair and said softly into his ear: "Wake up you."

Rose furrowed her eyebrows. Amy had always had a huge crush on James, she hadn't said it straight out, but Rose had known anyway - they were best friends after all. Amy had never acted on her crush. Had that maybe changed last night? Rose couldn't exactly wrap her head around it. James was hot, sure, everyone could agree on that. But he was _James, _cousin James. shivered a bit, maybe she had known him for too long.

"Not a thing?" asked Scorpius. He was leaning against one of the empty beds. Sunken in her own thoughts, Rose had almost forgotten that he was still there. "You really don't remember a thing?" he said to her momentarily confused face.

"No", Rose mumbled, "What happened?" why couldn't anyone tell her already? She looked at Scorpius. What was that expression on his face? Disappointment?

"Nothing", he shrugged. "It's kind of a blur for me too."

"Except for Lily's pole-dancing?" Rose asked. That was an image she could not see in her head. It was nothing but wrong.

"What?" James exclaimed. Amy must have convinced him to drink some potion, because he was looking much more alert now. "Lily was at the party?" his face went from surprise, to anger, to fear. "If mum finds out..." he mumbled.

Amy lifted her arm a bit and made a face.

"I am in serious need of a shower", she said and got out of the bed. "See you at breakf-" she took a look at her watch. "See you at lunch."

"Wait", said James before she could leave. He stood up and almost tripped over his own feet. Still a little drunk? "I know the password to the prefect's bathroom."

And they left together. Rose looked after them, even as the door had closed. She had no memory of the two of them even talking to each other before. She was pretty sure James hadn't even known her name.

"What did they do last night?" she asked. She hadn't really meant to say it out loud, but Scorpius answered.

"They kissed", he said.

"You saw them?" Rose asked, as if she didn't quite believe him. Scorpius shrugged.

"Everyone did", he said, "We were playing spin the bottle. So they kissed and they must've liked it because they kept snogging all night."

Spin the bottle? Oh, Merlin's saggy y-fronts, that was just asking for trouble. Rose was afraid of what he might answer, but she had to ask.

"Did I", her mouth was suddenly dry and she swallowed, "did I do anything?"

Scorpius shook his head, just a little bit. He avoided her eyes, and that worried her a lot.

"Are you sure?"

"Don't worry", said Scorpius. "It'll probably come back to you eventually. But it was nothing bad... I think."

An uncomfortable silence spread out between them until Scorpius cleared his throat.

"Are you up for something to eat? I'm starving."

"Of course you are", said Rose. "Let's go then."

She wasn't really that hungry, but she had to get out of here. That by-smell was going to kill her. And also she wanted to get out of Slytherin house. She felt a bit like an intruder.

"Er", said Rose when Scorpius followed her down the stairs. "Some trousers maybe?"

"Oh, right." Scorpius's cheeks turned red and he hurried back.

As they walked through the dungeon corridors, they found Scorpius's lost trousers. They were on a suit of armour, along with James's shirt. Rose got full of laughter and a part of the night returned to her memory.

"He must've felt naked", she giggled. That made Scorpius laugh too.

Rose saw for her inner eye how they all laughed at the naked armour, how James kindly offered him his shirt and- oh no. She remembered how she wanted to give him Scorpius's trousers, how she absolutely _insisted_ that he just _had _to take them of and give them to the suit of armour. Blood rushed to her cheeks. It had been fun at the moment, but now afterwards it was just embarrassing. Rose shot a glance at Scorpius, wondering, hoping that he didn't remember.

"Let's go", she said.

Scorpius got them some breakfast from the house-elves down in the kitchen. They sat down in a window and ate in silence for a moment. Rose didn't taste the food, her hand kind of just moved on auto-pilot back and forth to her mouth. Fragments of the night before was coming back to her now. A lot of dancing, flashing lights, fireworks, an angry Professor Longbottom - she hoped he wouldn't tell her parents - Lily on a pole - not as bad as she'd feared, pretty innocent really (as innocent as it can get around a pole), herself on a table - Why?

"Are you feeling OK?" Scorpius asked. Rose didn't realise that he'd been eyeing her. She looked at him. His blue eyes pulled back yet another memory. Rose dropped her toast.

"You kissed me", she said. Scorpius stared. His face went red. Rose put her hand over her eyes. "You- oh dear. Oh no."

"I-I'm sorry", Scorpius said, weakly. "I thought..." he sighed. Rose peaked through her fingers. Scorpius looked absolutely mortified. "I thought you wanted it too", he mumbled. "I wasn't using you or anything, I just..." he shook his head, not knowing what to say.

"Was I bad?" Rose asked and lowered her hands slowly. Scorpius couldn't help but smile a little.

"Horrible", he said, "You wouldn't stop giggling."

Rose wanted to sink through the earth and never come up again.

"And then I slept in your bed", she mumbled.

"You didn't look like you were going to make it up the stairs", Scorpius said. "But nothing happened. I swear."

Rose tried to run her hands through her hair, but it such a mess that she just got stuck.

"I'm a horrible kisser", she said, more to herself than to Scorpius. He shrugged and avoided her eyes again.

"Only when you're really drunk", he said.

Rose thought about it for a split second. A crazy idea. Could she? What did she have to lose? She'd already made fool of herself. She leaned across the breakfast and pressed her lips against Scorpius's. He stiffened at first and she got a little scared. But the he relaxed and kissed her back. Rose leaned back a bit.

"How's that?" she mumbled. Her face felt flaming hot.

"Much better", said Scorpius, he smiled.

"I need to brush my teeth", said Rose. Silence lasted for about a second and then they both burst into laugh.

"Me too", said Scorpius and caused yet another wave of laughter. What was so funny? None of them could tell. What did it matter?


End file.
